ProKart Challenge North opener in Sonoma sees Aluminos staff behind the wheel

The Team Aluminos kart racing team opened up their assault on the ProKart Challenge North program this past weekend as the first round of the new NorCal series was held at the Infineon Raceway Karting Center in Sonoma, CA. Aluminos owner Rob Soares, team engine builder George Tavares, and team driver Marc Elliott had a relaxed and fun weekend after what has been a busy three months for the San Ramon, California-based team to start the 2008 season. It may have been relaxed, but the results were very promising for the freshman squad.

Soares, no stranger to the driver’s seat, competed in the TaG Masters division after having watched his drivers go at it during the SKUSA WinterNational Series in Southern California through the first three months of the year. Though the turnout was low in the category, Soares had no easy time of it. After qualifying second, he scored second and first place results in the heat races to set up his charge in the main event. In the final on Saturday afternoon, Soares had am enjoyable battle with his fellow class rival and another driver from the TaG Masters Light division, which was running on-track at the same time. When the checkered flag fell, Soares would come in second in class, but fourth overall, edging the other competitor at the line.

In S4, Tavares slowly got back into the groove behind the wheel. After qualifying fifth, he recorded a fifth and a fourth in the heat races, prepping for what would be a great fight in the final. Advancing to as high as second place, Tavares was edged at the line by just half-second, having to settle for the third spot on the podium.

Elliott flew the Aluminos colors in the ultra-tough S3 division. In only his third Stock Moto start, the Colorado pilot was running up front behind the defending SKUSA SuperNationals champion Tom Dyer all weekend. A second and third in the heat races gave Elliott a good starting spot for the 15-lap main event and despite running second early in the event, he fell off toward the end of the race and eventually finished a solid fourth.

Team Aluminos will now gear up for the second round of the ProKart Challenge South program, set for April 26 at the Buttonwillow Kart Track in Buttonwillow, CA.

Photo: High Octane Images

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